Mini's British factories get a £250m boost from BMW

BMW is to invest £250m in its three British Mini plants , securing more than 5,000 jobs as one of the German car maker's bosses said: "Just as Bavaria is the centre of the BMW world, so the UK is, and will remain, the hub and heart of Mini."

The cash comes on top of a £500m investment at Mini's three British factories last year, and will be invested over the next three years at the German car maker's factory in Oxford, steel body-pressings plant at Swindon and engine production line at Hams Hall near Birmingham.

In January, the marque launched its Mini Roadster, a convertible version of the Mini Coupe, the first two-seater Mini.

BMW yesterday set out plans to expand its current six Mini models to 10 new ones.

The firm said its Oxford factory will be backed up by other production sites, probably at the NedCar plant in the Netherlands.